5-Minute Tofu Vegan Sour Cream
I was skeptical about dairy-free sour cream because I had always loved the dairy version, but this Tofu Vegan Sour Cream recipe is surprisingly delicious! Creamy and tangy wonderfulness!
This tofu sour cream is a fantastic dairy-free alternative, offering a creamy, tangy flavor that’s perfect for all your favorite dishes. Made with simple, plant-based ingredients, it’s a healthier option without sacrificing taste. Plus, it’s incredibly versatile, making it an ideal topping for bean tacos, vegan nachos, and more.
One of my favorite ways to use this tofu sour cream is to dollop it on these air fryer baked potatoes. We also have a dry dairy-free ranch seasoning mix on this website that pairs beautifully with this sour cream to make a delicious dip!
Reasons you will love this recipe
- Creamy and Tangy Texture: This vegan tofu sour cream offers a creamy and tangy texture that closely mimics traditional sour cream, making it perfect for topping dishes or adding to recipes without compromising on flavor.
- High in Protein: Made from tofu, this vegan sour cream is a great source of plant-based protein, adding nutritional value to your meals while keeping them dairy-free and delicious.
- Simple and Quick to Make: With just a few ingredients and a blender, this vegan tofu sour cream is quick and easy to prepare, making it a convenient addition to any meal or snack.
- Versatile for Various Dishes: This tofu-based sour cream can be used in a wide range of recipes, from plant-based tacos and baked potatoes to dips and dressings, making it a versatile and essential staple in any vegan kitchen.
Ingredients you will need
- Tofu- Silken tofu is ideal for making vegan sour cream because of its smooth, creamy texture that closely resembles traditional sour cream. It blends easily into a silky consistency without leaving a grainy or chunky texture, making it perfect for creating a rich and luscious dairy-free alternative.
- Lemon juice- Adds a tangy flavor that mimics the acidity of traditional sour cream. The acidity from the lemon juice helps balance the creaminess of the tofu, creating a more authentic taste and brightening the overall flavor of the sour cream.
- Garlic- Enhance its flavor, adding a subtle savory note that complements the tanginess of the lemon juice.
- Vinegar- Closely mimicking the sharpness of traditional sour cream.
- Salt- Balances the flavors, bringing out the tanginess from the lemon juice and vinegar while deepening the overall taste.
Tips & Suggestions
- Seasoning- For me, tweaking the salt, lemon juice, and vinegar for your personal taste can really make this vegan sour cream pop.
- Tofu- Firm silken tofu works best for this recipe. After chilling in the refrigerator, it becomes thicker.
How to make tofu sour cream
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
STEP #1: Open the silken tofu container and drain the water it has been packed in.
If you’re using shelf-stable tofu (recommended) which doesn’t need refrigeration, you shouldn’t need to set it on paper towels because it isn’t packed with much water.
However, the refrigerator-type soft tofu will need to be drained and allowed to sit on a dishcloth or a few paper towels before use. This article, Easy Tofu Recipes, has more information on the different types of tofu and how to use them.
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
STEP #2: Use immediately or chill in the refrigerator. It will thicken after chilling.
Serve on Vegan Nacho Supreme, Meatless Crockpot Chili, or use it to make my Creamy Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff.
Storage Tips
Stored in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator, this dairy-free sour cream recipe will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about 7-10 days. It does not freeze well.
You’ll know when it is beginning to go bad because it will become a little watery. As always, smell it to make sure that it doesn’t have a foul odor to it.
*Originally published January 2015.
Frequently Asked Questions
Silken tofu that is shelf-stable is preferred because of its smooth, creamy texture. However, the refrigerator-type soft or firm tofu can be used. It will need to be drained and pressed first.
Tofu sour cream can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. Stir before using, as it may separate slightly over time.
No. Freezing tofu changes its texture and causes it to become more crumbly. For best results, use fresh tofu sour cream.
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5-Minute Tofu Vegan Sour Cream
Ingredients
- 1 pkg firm silken tofu 12-14 oz
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic or more
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Open tofu package and drain any water. If using shelf-stable tofu, there won't be much water. For the refrigerated tofu, you'll need to drain and then press all water out.
- Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- Keeps in air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Video
Notes
- Seasoning- For me, tweaking the salt, lemon juice, and vinegar for your personal taste can really make this vegan sour cream pop.
- Tofu- Firm silken tofu works best for this recipe. After chilling in the refrigerator, this vegan sour cream becomes thicker.
- Storage- In an airtight container in the refrigerator, this should keep for about 7-10 days. It does NOT freeze well.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…
Very good, but needs a little boost. Maybe 1/2 teaspoon of sugar?
Terri, thank you so much for this recipe…. finally, I found a delicious recipe for tofu sour cream!!
I cannot believe how good this tastes, and I am guessing that it is the addition of the clove of garlic that makes it so close to dairy sour cream and also minimizes the taste of the tofu.
This recipe is absolutely a keeper!!
This was fabulous. Thank you so much for sharing. My new go to sour cream.
I LOVE hearing that you like it so much! I have some in the refrigerator right now for making ranch dip and topping baked potatoes.
This is seriously the best plant-based sour cream I have tried and honestly won’t try any others…and won’t ever buy one from the store again. This is just perfect in my opinion and so easy to make. THANK YOU!!
Lisa- That’s AWESOME! Best feedback ever on this recipe. Thanks so much, and I’m thrilled that you love it so much.
I dumped the whole contents of the shelf stable package into the container and let it sit all morning because I forgot about it! The good news is that more liquid drained by the time I added the other ingredients. I used my Nutribullet because it is smaller. I doubled the salt and added a teaspoon of sugar. I think this is a great sour cream! Thank you for the recipe!
Great recipe. good taste – it’s in the fridge, hopefully thickening up.
Coulinjo- I’m glad that you like the taste, and it will thicken up in the refrigerator. It’s great on nachos and tacos!
I’m excited to try it – thank you. Do you think it will work to replace store bought vegan sour cream in vegan cheesecake?
Bimala
Bimala- Vegan cheese cake sounds delicious! I haven’t tried this sour cream recipe in one before, but I would love to hear how it works if you decide to give it a go.
I have a member in my house who is anti vinegar. The recipe already calls for lemon juice which I usually use as a substitute. Any suggestions? I’m afraid of the taste if I increase the lemon juice to make up for the vinegar, or leaving it out.
Hi Alicia- I think just increasing the amount of lemon juice will be the best option if you need to eliminate the vinegar. It should still taste good.
I was surprised at how good this tastes! Awesome recipe!
I just made your sour cream for the first time. It taste great! But it was a bit liquidy. Is this normal? Should it thicken ok in the fridge?
Hi Gretchen- Yes, it will firm up some when chilled in the refrigerator for a few hours. So glad that you liked it!
This was amazing, much better than what you buy at the store. My picky vegetarian daughter even liked it almost as much as real sour cream!
Hi Craig- That’s awesome! So glad that both you and your daughter like it. Thanks so much for letting me know. 🙂
This is unbelievably tasty! So easy to throw together. One of the best vegan sour cream recipe I’ve found. Thank you!
Hey Brittany- YAY! That’s awesome to hear!
Hello,
What is the serving size? The recipe just says 8. Thanks!
Hi Madelynn- This recipe makes just under a pint, so the serving size would be approximately 3 Tbsp. Enjoy!